Offroad Trails near Capitol Reef National Park

Although most off-road driving is strictly forbidden within Capitol Reef National Park, a couple rugged routes lead into scenic areas and many of the park's colorful vistas may be experienced from trails just outside park boundries. Three recommended drives include:

Cathedral Valley
Vehicles with good ground clearance can usually negotiate the 58-mile loop road through spectacular Cathedral Valley's stark landscape featuring the Temples of the Sun and Moon and Glass Mountain. Road conditions can vary greatly depending on recent weather conditions so check at the visitor center for current road and weather conditions before visiting Cathedral Valley.

Burr Trail
The Burr Trail is one of the most popular backroads in southern Utah. From Boulder, it extends for about 68 miles through Grand Staircase-Escalante's Long Canyon and Circle Cliffs, the Waterpocket Fold of Capitol Reef National Park, and other amazing scenery to Hwy 276 above Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell.

Boulder Mountain
Boulder Mountain, south of SR 24, has many roads that are excellent for 4-wheel drive vehicles. North of Boulder Mountain over the back of Thousand Lake Mountain via Loa and Fremont is a ruggedly scenic 25-mile ride to Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef National Park.